J Books

Personnally, I think The Killer was the best of all six ( the five in print and the one e-book). I mean it's filled with excitement, and new talents are discovered along with new friends (well new to some,old to others). Allison even manges to work out something with her family. But the best part of the book is the ending, though I won't tell you what it is you'll have to read the book for that. But personally i liked this book and I liked all the others too. So buy and read this if you haven't already, because it 's great, and buy and read the others too!

L.J. Singleton does a great job in making the plot understandable, and exciting to the point where you wont be able to put this book down. You will find out who Chase is really attracted to(Varina or Sandee),and and if he is headed down the road of a serial killer. This book also features What really happened to Chase's parents,if Eric and Star Where truly meant for each other, and an ending with a bit of a "Jurasic Park" flavor.

L.J. Singleton is a great story teller and she comes up with another great story in book#5 of the Regeneration Series, The Killer. This is Chase's story.
Chase's DNA donor is revealed and a nosy reporter (a reoccurring character that appeared first in THE SEARCH) thinks he's destined to follow in "his father's" footsteps. She tries to gather evidence that says he's guilty of murder, but his friends know better. In trying to prove Chase's innocence, his "clone cousins" accidentally uncover more than they thought they'd find.
Chase isn't even aware of much of this conflict; he has a big one to deal with on his own. If it weren't for Varina's new power and help from all his friends, things would not go so well for Chase at the end.
In all this chaos, Allison finds a new love interest without even trying.
Though Ms. Singleton was only contracted for a 5 book series, she agrees it shouldn't be over yet and there IS a book #6. It's an e-book and it's FREE-for a limited time. Just go to her website to download it. Her web address is in each of her books.

L.J. Singleton does a great job in making the plot understandable, and exciting to the point where you wont be able to put this book down. You will find out who Chase is really attracted to(Varina or Sandee),and and if he is headed down the road of a serial killer. This book also features What really happened to Chase's parents,if Eric and Star Where truly meant for each other, and an ending with a bit of a "Jurasic Park" flavor.

Chase Rinaldi had run away from all his cloned friends. They all lived with Professor Fergus. But the one Chase had been cloned from was a killer that had been dubbed the Streamside Strangler long ago. Fearing his DNA would eventually make him snap and hurt one he cared for, he silently disappeared.

Dominique Eszlinger worked for EXPOSED magazine. She did not know Chase was a clone, but she did know who his biological father was. She found out that a high school friend of Chase's was murdered and she believed Chase did it! Dominique planned to write a huge article, a type of "Like Father, Like Son". However, the other "cloned cousins" refused to let that happen. They would locate Chase first and prove his innocence. Then there would be no story for the reporter.

As all this was going on, events took a few turns for the worse! Poachers were trying to kill Chase, Varina was learning about another special talent she had, and thugs were following a couple of friends!

***** Another winner! Wow! I thought it was cool that each clone had a talent. Now one shows she has two! This opens a world of opportunities. Each clone could have one or multiple special abilities that occur as they grow. I found myself glued to this one!

this book has everything in it, in clear concise terms and the greatest part of all, it is reader friendly.

This is a highly readable book dealing with systematic theology from a reformed position yet with a thoroughly Biblical exposition of the Holy Spirit, the role of the Spirit in a Christian's life, gifts of the Spirit, and the current renewal movement (which almost all other reformed theology ignores). Many have said that this book combines the intellectual foundation that the charismatic movement has needed. This book is for every Christian looking to strengthen their mind with the truth of God's Word while at the same time drawing one closer in that vital relationship with the Triune God that is absolutely necessary to make theology come alive in words and deeds. Many of my theologically untrained friends have read this book and have found it very easy to read yet life changing. It confirmed to them the reality and theological basis of the Holy Spirit in their lives today. It strengthened their understanding of the core doctrines of the Word of God. Dr. Williams' character and enthusiasm for the truth of God and the movement fo the Holy Spirit shines through each of the chapters. Christians will certainly be challenged with his exposition on limited atonement, and foreordination or predestination vs. free-will debates which he attempts to show another prespective that both miss. I highly recommend this book to every believer seeking to read a theological book that not only stimulates the intellect providing truth and wisdom from God's Word but also encourages the heart in one's relationship to God, the Church and towards the world.

This book is a wonderful source of unformation for any student who is pursuing ministry. It give some very indepth insights on topics very rearly discussed. To understand Mr. Rodman William's work, I feel that one must have a good working knowledge of the scriptures.

Amidst the many popular books on the charismatic/pentecostal experience, this sytematic theology of Rodman Williams,is a powerful integration of sound theology, experience and of real heart devotion to the Living God! In particularI appreciate that he comes out of a reformed background, which has not always been sympathetic to charismatic renewal. He covers all the areas of theology(knowledge of God):God, the world and Redemption;Salvation, the Holy Spirit and Christain life; the Church and the Last things. Rodman's full coverage of Salvation and the Holy Spirit is clarifying and grounded both in renewal and the reformed knowledge of God.

Recommended to any who seek to tap the roots of theology to understand their experience of God. Theology that renews!

Just started reading the book & so far, is easy to understand & is answering so many questions I have had! Also settled a lot of arguments! Can look up information wherever you need too, covers so many topics! Very thorough!

The best book in this area. It has everything you need to know in respiratory physiology and some basic principles are also useful in cardiovascular physiology. The organization is perfect, the thought questions and the questions at the end of each chapter are very well elaborated, you need to think to answer them and apply what you have read, not just memorization. The writing style is also very good, conversational. And I don't have words to describe the CD, is also perfect, the animations are extremely helpfull. If all medical books were organized like this book, no one would need to go to medschool.


ATTENTION! The CD does not work on Windows Vista.

This book was a pleasure to read and very good at walking a beginner through the concepts of respiratory physiology. Everything is presented in a logical way and it's surprising how much you can learn from this little book.

I am a pulmonary fellow who needed some review on respiratory physiology. i read the book cover to cover and found it an excellent resource to understand and correct my previous misunderstandings. the illustration in the CD were great and i recommend it to all fellows.

ghazwan acash

I ended up looking at a bunch of my friends' books, including West, before picking out this one to help me with the resp portion of my pathophys course. I loved this one. It was so easy to read - you know, it felt like someone was talking to me and just explaining things in a really plain, easy to understand way.

S&P is a lot more than just a book. I bought it because it was a recommended text for our class, but I had no idea I would be getting a whole web site that goes with the book. For most of the books I buy, the CD is pretty worthless with some junk pictures, but this book has a web site with diagrams where you can do things like adjusting O2 and CO2 levels or shunting percentage and see what happens. The picture actually changes right there in front of you! It's like having a little lab to illustrate the book topics, and the book even tells you how to use the diagrams and what cases to try. I'm a visual learner so this is where it's at for me. I wish they had the same thing for renal physiology.

Dzogchen psychology has arrived... this is the post-CBT-post-DBT-post-ACT psychology. "It is because it isn't." Welcome to the next non-paradigm!

Pavel Somov, Ph.D., Author of "Eating the Moment: 141 Mindful Practices to Overcome Overeating One Meal at a Time" (New Harbinger, Nov. 2008)

If you're wanting to understand either nondual wisdom or psychotherapy more clearly, read this wise and literate book. And when you're done, then read the second volume as well, Listening from the Heart of Silence. I wrote a longer review over there that applies to both volumes. They're good and, sad to say, there's nothing else out there that's like them. We need more. Until then, at least we have these.

This book is my first contact with non dualism in psychotherapy.
I read a lot of books on modern psychology in the past, but hadn't tapped into the edge of the field in a few years. Reading this made me aware that psychotherapy had finally found its maturity. I've expected this for 30 years, that our modern world would provide paths to truth/reality/God/I AM...And here it is. Expressed by modern minds, non dualism is easier to "understand". This book contains many tentatives at describing the undescrbable, or at least get as close as possible, a bit like hints. The authors are so articulate and honest ( exposing the weaknesses, pitfalls etc...of what method they use in their non dual therapies) that they succeed, and one can get a good taste of what they hint at, providing one reads slowly, with an open heart/mind. I find it fascinating and plan to study this field for awhile. It helps me clarify my mind, which is precious. It's pretty funny by times. These folks have humor, I like that too.

What a find - a book that explains what is essentially unexplainable! The Sacred Mirror is the "Bible" for any therapist who works from the nondual perspective. The Sacred Mirror expertly guides readers beyond what the words themselves point to. It is very rare to find anything on the subject of Nondual Wisdom and Psychotherapy, let alone a book that does the subject any justice.

I appreciated the essays by John J. Prendergast and Dorthy Hunt. Prendergast writes, "The critical question is whether the therapist's awareness is centered in the moment and creatively responsive to what is." And Hunt writes about, "...the healing that unfolds when that which is awake directly and intimately touches what is." I found the same power and clearity in these authors' words that is typically found in the most illumined teachers. Both of these writers are seasoned psychotherapists. They write from their direct experience.

This book serves as a wise mentor to my work as a psychotherapist. It encourages therapists to trust such "non-tangibles" as silence and presence. It helps evoke the living experience of oneself as THAT which IS awake while expertly exploring how this "understanding" connects with psychotherapy. It is no wonder that the Sacred Mirror is considered the current reference in its field.

- Jonathan Gustin M.A. LMFT, Psychotherapist; Founder of San Francisco Integral Transformative Practice; Founder of Green Sangha: Spiritually Engaged Environmental Activism; and teacher of Mind/Body Medicine at Kaiser Permanente.

Reality, Self, unconditioned mind, awakening, presence, silence, emptiness, being, nondual. If these are words you'd like to hear associated with psychotherapy, this book will be very welcome.

The Sacred Mirror is a collection of original writings by leading practitioners of nondual psychotherapy. Each author -- in his or her own fashion, and with varying degrees of emphasis -- addresses the nature of nondual disposition, what nondual therapy is, how it is practiced, and its role in psychotherapy. It is angled toward psychotherapists and the healing of psychological problems, but will appeal to anyone interested in nonduality, whether a professional healer or not. This book will be appreciated by one who senses or knows presence, whether one is held, or holds, in presence.

Since the function and work of the guru or spiritual teacher is essentially the same as that of the nondual therapist, both voices are heard from each author. Since these authors and therapists are intimate with nondual awareness, there is no underlying difference. What nondual therapists possess that most gurus do not, is formal training in psychology and a set of skills allowing them to practice conventional psychotherapy.

The first two chapters give overviews of nonduality and nondual therapy. John J. Prendergast, in the first chapter, asks whether the nondual approach makes for a new school of psychotherapy. He talks about how nonduality fits into practice. He addresses whether psychotherapy is evolving into a vehicle for transmission of truth, and whether awakening therapists are in the same lineage as Buddha or other great sages of all time. Prendergast speaks of the primary and secondary impacts of awakening. He discusses psychotherapy methods and skills in light of nondual awareness and how awakening impacts the psychotherapist.

Following the first two introductory chapters is an interview with Adyashanti. This, the third chapter, could also be considered an introductory chapter, as it gives further overview of nondual therapy and nonduality. Adyashanti is a significant character in this book since he is an outsider to the profession of psychotherapy yet works one on one with people who are awakening. His perspectives on nondual therapy would seem to be important. The interviewers ask over two dozen excellent questions, not including follow-up questions and comments.

Chapter Four is by Prendergast, who writes, "When we look into an ordinary mirror, we see how we appear. When we look into a sacred mirror, we see who we are." The role of "sacred mirror" has traditionally belonged to the guru or spiritual teacher. This chapter describes how the role is being played by the therapist and explores ways of including this function into transpersonal psychology.

Chapter Five is entitled, A Nondual Approach to EMDR: Psychotherapy as Satsang, by Sheila Krystal. EMDR stands for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. For the reader who has some familiarity with EMDR, this chapter gives an excellent, sometimes sizzling, introduction. Having no knowledge at all of EMDR or the associated terminology, I had to search online for background information, which helped me more fully appreciate what Krystal has compiled.

Chapter Six is authored by John Welwood. Its theme is, "Being fully human means honoring both these truths -- immanence, or fully engaging with our humanness, and transcendence, or liberation -- equally. If we try to deny our vulnerability, we lose touch with our heart; if we fail to realize our indestructibility, we lose access to enlightened mind. To be fully human means standing willingly and consciously in both dimensions."

Chapter Seven is by Dorothy Hunt, and is entitled Being Intimate with What is: Healing the Pain of Separation. Here are a few major points:
-- "When what is awake directly touches its own experience of anything, there is deep intimacy with what is. ... In this intimacy we find ourselves undivided."
--"(This realization of our undivided being) is unfailingly healing because it experiences itself as a whole."
-- This intimacy is not conceptual, not another idea or identification to be harboured. It is not separate from this or what is. It is direct experience. Any conceptualization is movement away from the experience of this. "Healing happens when we are not separating ourselves from the authentic truth of the moment."

Chapter Eight is by Dan Berkow: A Psychology of No-thingness: Seeing Through the Projected Self. "Therapy therefore facilitates exploration, gives feedback, and promotes inquiry. The effects of self-imposed friction are addressed honestly and without either minimizing or exaggerating. The psychosomatic and relational repercussions of self-protection are clarified with self-examination. The dropping of the projection of a separated self is the choiceless awareness of moment-to-moment being."

Chapter Nine, by Richard C. Miller, is about nonduality and Yoga Nidra. "Yoga Nidra is an ancient tantric Yoga practice that reflects the perspective of Awareness both as the inherent ground of our essential beingness and the container, agent, agency of our healing into the understanding that this is so."

In Chapter Ten, Stephan Bodian speaks about deconstructing the self via inquiry. "The inquiry that I describe in this essay, which now arises naturally with my clients, draws upon The Work, the self-inquiry of Advaita Vedanta, and the phenomenological investigation of experiential psychotherapy."

Chapter Eleven is called Healing Trauma in the Eternal Now. Lynn Marie Lumiere sets forth that nondual awareness is unconditional love and as such accepts extreme ecstasy and extreme trauma equally. "It is only in this embrace of the manifest by the unmanifest that true transformation or healing takes place," she says.

Jungian Analysis and Nondual Wisdom, by Bryan Wittine, is the twelfth chapter. "This chapter is about the journey in Jungian analysis of a spiritual seeker named 'Jenna,' who longed to know God. It is also about a defensive process I call 'psychospiritual splitting,' which nearly derailed Jenna's quest. Finally, it is about our analytical relationship and a nondual understanding of spirituality; both of which were central to her journey."

Chapter Thirteen is written by Jennifer Welwood. The author describes how we develop a conditioned identity. She states, "We lose the true support of our deeper nature and seek refuge in the false support of our conditioned identities. This is how our samsaric confusion manifests at the level of psychodynamics."

Nonduality as a term, as a word, remains a stranger to vast stretches of the fields not only of psychology, psychiatry, and psychotherapy, but of religion, spirituality, physics, and philosophy. And to music, art, literature, ecology, architecture, athletics, nonduality is barely a phantom; it has barely breathed in those spaces. This book, The Sacred Mirror, introduces nondual wisdom or nonduality to the field of psychotherapy. This book provides an education in nondual wisdom, an enjoyable expression of nonduality, and an opening to a new direction in psychotherapy.

Jerry Katz
One: Essential Writings on Nonduality

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1M1TYFS1DHIRK Yo look at THIS!

I bought this book for a class, but while I sold most of them back this beauty I kept. The play itself is obscure. Since it was written in (rather poor) French originally and translated back into English, it lacks some of Oscar Wilde's trademark style. This is not to say that the style of the play is without its own merits. As the book is the retelling of a Biblical story- that of Salome, daughter of King Herod, and John the Baptist (Iokanaan in this rendition)- the style of the play often mocks Biblical style. The wording is thus often repetitive and simple, but there's a beauty to it that is in many ways indescrible. While wordy, there is also a particular depth to it that you'll miss if you don't look carefully. Thematically, the play was very entertaining and I enjoyed the revisionist take on the Biblical story. Overall I found this work enthralling. This particular edition is beautiful- it includes all of Aubre Beardsley's stunning ink illustrations of the play. This is well worth having on your bookshelf (although it is rather large- 8x11)

Oscar Wilde's 1905 shocking, controversial play is no longer as disturbing to modern desensitized audiences and critics/literary scholars who recognize it as a play of psychological/Freudian aspects and as a fin-de-siecle example of the Decadence movement in the arts. Wilde's flowery, poetically lyrical, Biblically-influenced orutund words is devilishly at variance with its cruel violence and horror. In this edition, we are treated to the full illustrations by Aubrey Beardsley, Wilde's friend and himself a playwright and exponent of the Decadence. The pictures are dark, erotically charged but full of feminine lines and flowery imagery which were typical of Art-Noveau style in art/architecture. This is the entire play in a single act and I find makes a eye-grabbing book to put on your coffee table so guests can marvel at it. You'd be surprised to see the looks I get from them whenever they see the cover art!!

Wilde did not regard this work as his greatest when compared to his others, most notably The Importance Of Being Earnest. Shortly after Salome premiered, Oscar Wilde poked fun at himself and his play by dressing in drag in Salome's sexy costume for a photograph. It's likely Wilde had a bit of fun in writing a play that was bound to turn heads in a society fresh out of the Victorian Era. The words are indeed poetic and beautiful descriptions of nature, spirituality and romance mix with carnal innuendo.

The main characters- King Herod, Queen Herodias and Salome- are each in dire need of therapy, though they themselves may not admit it being a vainglorious and proud royal family. Queen Herodias became a target of John the Baptists' righteous anger and condemnation because according to old Mosaic Law she sinned by marrying the brother of her deceased first husband and thus committed incest. Full of hatred for the Prophet, she waited for the right moment to extract her revenge as well an opportunity to get him to "shut up" forever through his death. John the Baptist languished in prison at King Herod's Palace Dungeon, though in Wilde's play it was changed to a cistern in the palace courtyard garden. Herod thought it better he live the rest of his life in prison rather than be executed, for internally, Herod had always suspected that John was a reincarnation of the long dead Prophet Elias. Perhaps he thought that his presence would bring good fortune to his home. Herod has his own complexities. This is not the same Herod who ordered the deaths of the infants upon Jesus's birth. This Herod, possibly the son, ruled Jerusalem as a puppet-king and was a sycophant to the Roman Emperor. He lusted after his own daughter or stepdaughter Salome. "You stare at her too much" says the jealous Herodias whom we assume is aging and lackluster compared to her teenage, nubile daughter. Herod entertains sexual thoughts about his daughter and is aroused when she dances her famous Dance of the Seven Veils. I don't buy that he was just dead drunk. He has always lusted after Salome. But...he was in awe of John the Baptist and secretly respected him which is why he is so reluctant and even opposed to have his head severed upon Salome's request.

As for the eponymous heroine herself, she has been a subject of scholarly chat, art, literature, poetry and music throughout the years. Richard Strauss composed a celebrated opera based on this very play in 1905 and the soprano singing the role is in for a challenge because not only must she look young and dance, but her voice must be gargantuan and yet delicate. Salome found herself within the poetic themes of French poet Stephen Mallarme among others and orchestral compositions were made about her. Why does Salome ask for the head of Jon the Baptist ? Simply put, she's crazy young girl. She is only a teenager, probably between the ages of 15 and 18, awakening to her own sexuality which can be a confusing time. She is naive and inexperienced, spoiled rotten and mentally disturbed. She is fascinated with Jon the Baptist as a child would be with a new toy. He is foreign, exotic and mysterious to her and that's what makes him sexually attractive to her. More specifically, she is enamored of his lips though she believes the rest of his features are hideous. Since the Prophet rejects women and worldly things, he scolds Salome's sinfulness and refuses to kiss her, refuses to even turn and look at her face to face. This spurs Salome's anger. No man has ever found her unattractive or turned her down. The Palace Guard Nabbaroth kills himself out of frustated love for her. Many men are intoxicated by her beauty. The jealous, sexually frustrated Salome has reason enough to want Jon the Baptist's head on a platter. I have always felt that Salome was not a naive, thoughtless girl that her mother the Queen used as a pawn for her own revenge, as the Bible seems to imply. Salome had her own reasons for wanting the head of the Prophet. The truth is very disturbing as it would seem that Salome wanted his severed head as a sexy toy. "You would not suffer to kiss me when you were alive," she says in the play," and now you're dead and I'm alive and I have kissed your lips, Jochanaan." Necrophilia at its ugliest! It was for a sick, sexual pleasure that she demanded his head. Yet for all this, Wilde makes her a sympathetic, pitiful figure. We the audience are able to see her thought process through her words each time the Prophet rejects her and we see before our eyes her mental breakdown. Even so, one cannot help but wonder if this child of sin is right about certain claims she brings up. Salome believes that if John the Baptist had turned to look at her just once, he would have fallen in love with her. Could this be true ? Is this why the Prophet controlled himself and averted his eyes ? Salome claims that the Prophet is the only man she ever truly loved, which is a fallible even illogical statement when considering Salome appears to be a virgin, a girl on her first crush and has never experienced mature adult sexual relationships. Salome may be a ditzy, emotional and mental wreck but she has one of the most thought-provoking and inspirational lines I've ever heard in a play: "The mystery of love is greater than the mystery of death" which contain in its own way a kind of spirituality. Throught the play the most mysterious, unknowable character is John the Baptist, who, parrot-like, quotes Biblical passages and preaches in a fire-and-brimstone kind of way and never once reveals any of his true character. The play is great and though it's not performed today, it continues to fascinate readers everywhere. And by the way, the proper pronounciation for Salome is not "salami" like the food but sounds more French: Sa-Lo-May.

Beardsley's illustrations for Wilde's "Salome" are quite well known. I enjoyed seeing them, in unexpurgated forms, in the context of the script they were meant to adorn. I think I can see wonderful possibilities in staging that play, where modern sensibilities could show and accept what England of 1892 could not. Even so, I found the script itself somewhat repetitive, with more in it to startle than to explain. Perhaps there's a knack to reading this script that I haven't mastered.

This isn't the only place to find Beardsley's "Salome" illustrations. Other books show the uncensored forms of the pictures, too. This book, however, reproduces them in larger format and crisper printing than the others I know, and is worthwhile for at least that reason.

//wiredwierd

The last reviewer has totally missed the genius of this incredible dramatic work. The story as told in this one act play has nothing to do with the theology of Christian Biblical Mythology. It is a carefully constructed a meticulously executed examination of 'real' personalities interacting within a particular network of historical and social relationships. The unfulfilled passion which drives Wilde's Salomé to murderous revenge is deeply convincing within the context and the characterisation of the personalities created by this greatly inspired Anglo-Irish dramatist.

Complaining that a literary work does not reflect accurately some personally perceived 'historical' truth is like complaining about the historical accuracy of Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar' - it is missing the point entirely!

This play is a gripping, fast-moving tragedy which deals with the darker side of human nature vividly, imaginatively and with unguarded honesty. It is not, of course, like Wilde's other more popular plays which were designed to be humorous, witty and light. This like 'De Profundis'' "A picture of Dorian Gray' or some of his truly magnificent later poems, ranks as one of Wilde's greatest contributions to modern English literature. If you haven't already read it, do so - or better still - buy a few copies and stage it!

The book arrived quickly and in good condition. I would purchase from this seller again.

I have been reading this book as part of a research project. The essence of the book is a play by play of the development of the LOTR through multiple drafts. If someone is looking for a continuation of the entertaining series, I would suggest first The Silmarillion, then Lost Tales, Lays of Beleriand, or Unfinished Tales. For the serious Tolkien fan who wants to understand the origins, the book does a good job of organizing the multiple drafts and highlighting significant shifts in Tolkien's thought.

For those of us who enjoy taking Tolkien's vision and expanding upon it, this book and the "History of Middle Earth" series is a must as a reference source.

This book and the whole series expounds on Tolkien's vision and desire for his characters. Often nuggets of data not found in the primary books (LotR, The Hobbitt, etc.) can be uncovered within the HoME.

`Sauron Defeated' is the last of a four volume series (`The History of the Lord of the Rings') within a series, (volume IX of `The History of Middle Earth') edited by Christopher Tolkien, from the unpublished writings of his father, J. R. R. Tolkien, most famous as the author of `The Hobbit' and `The Lord of the Rings' (LotR).

The most important thing to realize about this book is that only about a third of its pages deal with `The History of The Lord of the Rings'. The remaining two-thirds deals with a subject which harks back to `The Lost Road' and the wager taken up between the two `Inklings' (an Oxford literary and social society), Tolkien and C. S. Lewis.

The LotR story in this book covers the last few days of Sam and Frodo in Mordor, as they painfully make their way to the Cracks of Doom on Orodruin in order to finally destroy the `One Ring'. This takes a very few pages, after which we are left with the notes on the long and slow road home, to one of to me the most interesting episodes in the whole LotR, `The Scouring of the Shire'. I can easily understand why Peter Jackson left this episode and the events involving Tom Bombadil from his films (ten hours is surely long enough for even a cinematic event of these proportions), but they still remain my favorite events.

The middle third of the book is taken up with `The Notion Club Papers', which appears to be a fictional account of the goings-on at the real live `Inkling' meetings at Oxford. There is a lot of playful parodying here, especially on some of C. S. Lewis' works. These drafts also use a conceit most famously used by Robert Graves in his `I, Claudius' and `Claudius The God' novels, where it is made out that these papers were discovered among discarded papers in the year 2012 (about 60 years after they were actually written.) The final third of this volume is filled with additional versions of Tolkien's Atlantis myth, entitled `The Drowning of Anadune', the events which lead the Numenorean ancestors to flee to Middle Earth and become the Dunedain.

The primary relevance of these materials to LotR lie in the fact that Tolkien seems to have put aside work on LotR to do these things, until his erstwhile publisher, Stanley Unwin gently prodded him into returning to completing LotR.

The LotR fanatic, these `The Notion Club Papers' have much less interest than LotR notes or even the Numenor myths, but there they are, certainly useful for any study of the times and doings of Oxford during the real war raging just on the other side of the channel.

Pending my review of the last three books of `The History of Middle Earth', I suspect these four are easily the most interesting to fans of Tolkien's published works.

So maybe you didn't fly through the last 3 books like the first five, but get ready to put your seatbelt on for this ride. The start of this book finished off the evolution of the lord, and also gives a pretty cool story where sam is answering his kids questions of what happened in the war of the ring.

The second part is back to the stuff that I love. I have reread the wierd inklings fictiot piece a number odf times, and it gets more interesting every time. My first time reading it, it was very hard for me to understand.

The third part of the book is certainly one of the coolest things that I have ever read. It is a totally superior version to the silmarillion of the fall of numenor. Anybody looking to go into the mind of sauron a little deeper, this is a MUST BUY for you!!!!!!!!!!

The last part of this book will go over most peoples heads(at least I hope so, cause it went way over mine.), it is a GREAT writing about the language of Adunic? I don't really speak any of tolkien's languages, but still like to read his essay-type papers on his languages. Though not as interesting as the lost tales and stuff like that, I still found all of them fun to read, and this one on the Adunic language I thought was the best out of them all.

OVERALL ONE HELL OF AN ADDITION TO THE HISTORY OF MIDDLE EARTH SERIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One of the better chess books that I've read and I've read alot of them. Well, I've bought a lot, haven't gotten around to reading them all :). Probably not much use to Master level players. I'm a "B" player and learned a lot from this book, particularly in organizing my thoughts during a game. The biography of Purdy in the first part of the book isn't terribly compelling. A nice addition to any collection of chess books, especially for players below 2000.

this book is a classic just like " MY SYSTEM " by NIMZOVICH. EVERY SERIOUS PLAYER OF CHESS MUST READ IT

AUTHOR (1906-79) was an international master,first correspondence world chess champion ,many times australian national chess champion and editor/writer in chess magazines(mostly australian chess magazines).this book of about 300 pages has three parts .his detailed biography (about 25 pages),his excellent chess articles(about 39 in number consisting of 184 pages)and annotation or commentry to his 50 games(about 83 pages).main strength of this book is his excellently written chess articles.in my humble opinion there are few chess teachers/authors of his strength.this book is not for beginners but for intermediate strength chess players (uscf rating 1300 and above )with at least a couple years of chess playind experience

If this book were Juliet, I'd be it's Romeo. There aren't enough superlatives I could lavish on Purdy's writing. There were so many "AHA!" moments when reading that my wife thought I was having an epileptic fit! Purdy's prose is superior yet completely comprehensible. The reader immediately sees his point. Beg, borrow or steal this book, it IS that good. The only negative (and it is a very small one) is the publisher's annoying advertisements spread throughout the book.

This is for me the first book on chess I have encountered that really puts first things first and explains a systematic method for thinking about any chess position. Even though the author makes very interesting remarks about strategical points he never forgets to remind you about the tactical problems on the board and a systematic way of taking care of these. For me definetely the most helpful book on chess that I ever read.

Not something you would want to read cover to cover, but this book provides a one-stop-reference for everything you need to know about starting a business in California. It's important to know that the information could change at any time, but much of the information is linked to websites and other resources that are likely up-to-date.

Nolo Small Business Start-up Kit for California provides excellent information for those starting your own business. I've highlighted sections throughout the book!

simple and clean, rather go through all of the sites to search what you actually need to register your company, this book guide you through that. also, book v.s. web sites, the book gives you more insight to cross comparison on all the legal structures that you need to choose, pros and cons, to make you select what fits you, instead of reading laws on the web only tell you what is LLC and etc. I will keep it although I formed my company after reading this book.

If you are thinking of starting your own business in California, especially if you have never done it before, you will find that this book is worth its weight in gold.

This resource takes the complication out of starting a business, contacting the right agencies and doing things legally. It cuts through a lot of confusion, has an encouraging tone and presents what you need to know in a very logical and easy to understand format.

I often recommend this book to my small business clients and find it to be a useful general reference. It also points to many other good resources and is a good value for such a comprehensive book.

It is well written and easy to understand. Not a lot of legal jargon that you have to wade through, but legal nevertheless. I will continue to use it for a reference.
Thank you for such a easy to read and understand book!

One of the best fast moving story that I have had the pleasure of reading. From the first page to the last it was hard to put this book down. I would love to see it made into a movie. I highly recommend this book.

"Snake Walkers is a fascinating read that revisits a horrific time in history where the lives of African Americans were tragically taken by those who wanted to suppress them."

"This gripping story begins with Anthony Andrews as a young boy witnessing the heinous hanging of a young boy. A murder that he relives in his nightmares, yet he keeps it a secret. This traumatic event plays a direct part in the path his life takes."

"Years later, Anthony becomes the first African American reporter at the Arkansas Sun. He is given an assignment to investigate the mysterious disappearance of several men in the town of Evesville."

"During the assignment Anthony becomes very close to one of the families linked to the men who disappeared. The closeness he feels towards this family is no coincidence as they share something in common that will bond them together forever."

"As Anthony comes close to finding answers his life is threatened and he comes to the realization that he is being used by those who have a hidden agenda. He is forced to make some difficult decisions in order to protect his life and the lives of those he loves."

"J. Everett Prewitt has created a captivating read that becomes more and more transfixing as this story unfolds. This talented author does an outstanding job with his first release."

Although this book may be a little slow to start, keep reading. Once it grabs you, you'll be glad you stayed. First-time author, J. Everett Prewitt, makes his strong debut with a novel of racial atrocities and civil unjustice. To do this, he introduces Anthony Andrews, a black child, who witnesses a hanging. This incident haunts Anthony and guides him to become a reporter. When Anthony accepts a position a the Arkansas Sun, he believes it is because of his talents and not because he is black.

Investigating the first big assignment he is given takes Anthony to a small town abandoned by its occupants and onto Cleveland, Ohio. Over time, and with the help of the strong characters created by M. Prewitt, Anthony comes to realize how naïve he has been all of his life. There are two points of view and he needs to choose which one is his for himself. When his father confronts him, "So, you go up North, listen the ramblings of some man with a blue-collar job and no education, then come back down here to enlighten me?...I taught you to think for yourself." Anthony replies, "No, Dad. You taught me to think like you."

"Snake Walkers" takes historical facts and characters and interlaces them with fictional ones. Read the book and decide for yourself. As Harriet Tubman is attributed with saying, "I would have freed a thousand more if they knew they were slaves." J. Everett Prewitt is certainly an author to look for. I'm sure he has many more stories to bring to us.

J. Everett Prewitt is a natural story teller. I was drawn right into the story. He captured my attention from the first paragraph. The plot carries with it all the elements of conflict, romance, and intrigue.

The action is heightened by a masterful pacing of conflict and resolution. Throughout the story Prewitt maintains suspense. The story unfolds a haunting theme of mystery.

His descriptive phrases and imagery activate all five senses. I smelled the flowers, heard the twigs crackling, and felt the explosion of a gun blasting nearby. Although often graphic, Prewitt was sensitive as he described the racial tensions of the 1960s and atrocities that often went unacknowledged and unreported.

I was deeply moved by the underlying current of family loyalty, secrecy and tension. The novel gave the author a platform to enlighten in the reader a moral and social responsibility. I was deeply touched and was often struck by an emotional chord as I recognized the impact of environment and family heritage on my own growth and value formation.

The author's sensitive writing and insightful character development creates an empathy for his all his characters, the heroes and the downtrodden. Each was faced with choices based on ritual and tradition that might have an effect on the life and safety of others.

I highly recommend this book anyone consciously trying to bridge the social injustices of the past with the hope of the future. This is a brilliant, penetrating novel.

Reviewed by Beverly Pechin for Reader Views (3/06)

When first approaching "Snake Walkers" I wasn't so sure it was going to be my 'cup of tea'. It seemed to be another one of those stories set back in the days of racial conflict, one we've all heard before... but I quickly realized I have never seen this side of the race wars. Set in the late 1940's through the 1960's the story begins with a young black boy (Anthony) seeing another boy being hung and beaten by a group of 14 white men. Scared to the depths of his soul he holds this vision deep within for decades, allowing it to eat at him until he's finally forced to confront the issues of what he saw.

Anthony vows to make right the wrongs he has seen, if even by making a small difference in the world of blacks but his ways of 'making a difference' seems to differ a lot from what many others are doing during this time of conflict. His father brings him up to believe that the colored folk are in the predicament they're in because of their own ignorance and violence. Anthony follows in his father's way of thinking and feels that he can make a difference by being the best he can be and not making those he's fighting against angry with such 'stupid' actions as marches and out right confrontation. He chooses to ignore the violence involved with often innocent black men and women or at the least, put it in the back of his mind.

Then Anthony lands a job as 'the first negro to write for the Sun'. This position makes him feel as thought this is his chance to make the difference he's always wanted to make. He finds himself working on a story, which soon becomes a much deeper and darker story than he ever thought. Then to complicate matters even more, he seeks some answers from a beautiful, intelligent professor that he instantly has feelings for, but doesn't want to allow those feelings overtake his ability to write a good story. As he uncovers more and more information it becomes less and less clear who is 'on his side' now and he finds danger in every corner.

During his quest, he also finds that perhaps his father's ways aren't the right ways. He finds that family isn't always as cut and dry as he thought, and begins to understand the true meaning of family ties and bonds.

While the beginning of the book was a little slow, a little perseverance will put you deep within the soul of a touching, thrilling story like no other. You've never seen the times of racial wars like this before, I can assure you. It's a wonderful book that will open your eyes to many things, including what true love and family means.

My husband got a copy of this when he was younger, and we have it here at home and have read it to our 3 children countless times. It has great poems, and makes a great bedtime reading book since you can just read a short poem or two instead of a huge story book. Jack Pretlutsky is wonderfu, he is very clever and his poems are all so cute. I recommend everyone get a copy of this book! Its the top rated book in our house

My favorite book is Something Big Has Been Here by Jack Prelutsky. It is a very very funny book of poems. My favorite is "My Fish Can Ride a Bicycle." It is about a fish that can do almost everything. If you like funny books, you'll like this book.

I first read this book when I was about 10 years old (I'm now 22.) Though I haven't even laid eyes on this book in at least 6 or 7 years, I can still recite by memory several of the poems, including "Something Big Has Been Here", "The Early Worm" and "I Wave Goodbye When Butter Flies."

As a child I loved poems, but often felt Shel Silverstein's were too morbid (especially some of the drawings.) Though I'm a huge fan of his now, at the time Something Big Has Been Here was a wonderful, more mellow book of poems that really got me loving cleverly written poems.

The best thing about the book, in my opinion, is that even though it's written for children, it never talks down to them or oversimplifies emotions or actions. And it's funny enough that even adults can get a snicker or two.

This is an awesome book. The poems are very clever, funny and appealing to kids, along the lines of Shel Silverstein. The difference is the very sophisticated vocabulary that Prelutsky uses. I use a poem per week from this book for my remedial middle school students for oral reading fluency, plus I create our weekly vocabulary word list from words from the weekly poem.

This collection of Jack Prelutsky's silly and goofy poems is a must-have in any self-respecting poetry collection. The subjects of the poems range from mask-wearing earthworms to a room-trashing robot; from wishes to be bigger, to fishing in the desert. Children will laugh at the fearsome pirate "Captain Conniption," terror of the seas, who always obeys his mother. Many will sympathize with the longing of the boy in "My Brother is a Quarterback" who yearns to be a great athlete like his brother is.

"I Wave Goodbye When Butter Flies" is an excellent example of the oddities of the English language. The poem turns such common phrases as "pocket change" and "coffee break" on their ears and makes them into something new. There are subtle puns on condiments in "We're Fearless Flying Hotdogs" (can you find the one for saurkraut?). The emptyheadedly happy expressions on the five flying franks make the whole idea even funnier.

James Stevenson's line drawings accentuate the levity and absurdity of the poems. His artwork for "An Elephant is Hard to Hide" demonstrates even better than words the impossibility of stuffing an elephant into a dresser drawer. The expression of glee on the face of the boy reveling in "Mold, Mold" is identical to expressions seen in mud puddley schoolyards.

This volume is a treasure for both children and adults. It's a great way to spend some time laughing with a child (or by yourself).